Scared Stiff

My thoughts are still on all things Halloween. Mostly the Halloween movies that I have liked over the years are the comedies. One that is rarely seen these days is the Martin and Lewis film “Scared Stiff.”

In this film Dean Martin plays Larry and Jerry Lewis plays Myron. They cross paths with a gangster. When they are on the run from him they run into the beautiful Lizabeth Scott who is playing an heiress. She is sailing for Cuba. Hoping this will put more space between them and the gangster and after they find a dead body and threatening note they decide to go with her. Once on the island they see a lot of mysterious things and cross paths with a zombie. Eventually the three of them find out who is behind all of they mystery.

This is a very funny movie. The first time I saw it I was home sick from school. That night it was the movie of the week on TV. I saw the advertisement on TV of Jerry sitting in a chair. Hands come from behind the chair and grab Jerry. He screams! The hands let go. He laughs at having defeated his would be kidnaper. Then a hidden panel in the floor opens up and Jerry falls through. I laughed so hard at that little bit of film I couldn’t wait to see the movie. So that night I was in the living room with my Mom and Dad. I was lying on the couch in my PJ’s. The movie was just starting and guess what…I fell asleep. So it would be a few years before I would be able to see the movie. The next morning my Mom tried to tell me what she thought was the funniest scene in the movie. When she started with Jerry sitting in a chair I finished it for her. I know it wasn’t polite but it was the only part of the movie that I had seen. She asked me how I knew it even though I was sleeping. I said I saw that scene in the advertisement.

Once I did see the movie all the way through it was a treat. It turns out to have been a rare treat as it hardly turns up on TV anymore. You may see other comedy horror movies on TV at Halloween but I have not seen Scared Stiff in years. Thankfully I taped it once and still have it on VHS.

Some trivia on movie is that Bob Hope and Bing Crosby made a cameo appearance at the end of the film. The producer of “Scared Stiff” also produced “Road to Bali” and Martin and Lewis did a cameo in that film the year before. It was a trade off as a favor to the producer. “Scared Stiff” is actually a remake of a 1940 Bob Hope Paulette Goddard film called “The Ghost Breakers.” Also, one of the writers on the film was Norman Lear. Mr. Lear went on to become a TV mogul with hits like All In The Family, The Jefferson’s, Good Times, One Day At A Time, Maude, etc.

If you want a good laugh then rent or buy “Scared Stiff.” It is very funny. If you are a younger viewer you should still find it funny but keep in mind in the 1940’s and 1950’s they always tried to put in some music. So don’t be surprised when Dean breaks out into song at a moments notice. You may find that you even like it.

You can get the signed lobby card that you see above if you click on the title of this posting.